Chair



A. E. JONES Oct. 29, 1940.

CHAIR Filed April 24, 1939 Patented Oct. 29, 1940 UNITED STATES Arthur E. Jones, Elkhart, Ind.,' assignor to1? osture Research Corporation, Elkh'art, 11111;, a cor:

V poration of Indiana Application April 24,1939, Serial No. 269,681

'ZClaims. (o1'.155 9s) This invention relates to improvements in chairs and it consists of the matters hereinafter described and more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

The chairs with which the invention is especially concerned are those used in oiiices and the like and wherein the seat is not only vertically adjustable with respect to the base but is also swivelled with respect thereto.

is to provide anovel structurein a chair of this kind whereby the seat supporting post is easily adjusted vertically with respect to the associated base.

A further object of the invention is to provide a structure of this kind, where all operating parts are enclosed in the post.

Another object of the invention is to provide a structure of this kind wherein the parts involved are reduced to a minimum and are easily assembled for low cost in production.

The above mentioned objects of the invention, as ,well as others, together with the several advantages will more fully appear as the specification proceeds.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a view in front elevation of the seat of the chair and its supporting post.

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view through the seat post and associated parts of the chair; on an enlarged scale as taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1. i

Fig. 3 is a horizontal detail sectional View as taken on the line 33 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of a certain spline or key employed in the improved chair. structure and which will be more fully referred to.

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of a certain nut employed in the improved chair structure and which will also be more fully referred to. v p

Referring now in detail to that embodiment of the invention illustrated in the accompanying drawing, I0 indicates theseat supporting post and its spider are rotatively mounted on the top end of the post by means of the following arrangement: A plug I1 is fixed in the upper One of the objects of the present invention end of the post and is provided with anaxial stud l8 and a radial flange :19 that rests upon the top extremity of the post.p2ll' indicates, as a whole, a combined thrust and rotative antifriction bearing embodying therein an outer race 2|, fixed to the top end. of the spacer tube l6, an-inner race 22 engaged on the flange l9 and secured to the stud l8-by a nut 23,-and antiiriction devices in the form o-fballs 24arranged between said races. In the bottom endof the sleeve I6 is fixed a bushing 25 through which the post [0 extends for hearing engagement. By means of the above the seat is not only'mounted-for rotation on the seat post but it is held against endwise separation with respect to the seat post.

In the post It is located a screw 26 having a hand wheel 2! at its bottom end outside the bottom end of thepost. This hand Wheel has a portion 28 that bears against the inside of the bottom end of thepost. ;In said portion is an annular groove 29 in which a-pin 30- carried .by the post lliengages ina manner locking the screw against endw ise. movement in thepost butpermitting a turning movement of said screw inthepost.

Within the post thereis also located a nut 3! in which the screw'j26 has threaded engagement. This nut, which best appears in perspective in Fig. 5, is provided. along opposite sides with top and bottom recesses 32-33 respectively. j x f I The base of the chair includes the legs 34 and vertically spacedupper andlower plates 35 and 36' having aligned centerholes 31 through which the post lfl extends, said plates each having a recess 38 that'opens in'to the center hole thereof. j I 1 j 39 indicates aspline in the form of "a piece of flat bar stock'as best shown in perspective in Fig. 4. This ,spline'is of a length somewhat greater than the. distance between the plates 353'6 and is" of .a thickness approximating the width of'the slot ll and thewidth of the recess 32-33in the nu t' 3l. In oneqmargin of the spline is a recess 40 of a. length to embrace or receivethat partof the nut 3| between-two of the recesses 3233 at oneside of the nut. In

the othermargin otthespline, near itstop end is a recess 4| and the bottom end ofsaid spline is made narrower than the rest of thespline to form a downwardly facing shoulder 42 there on. When said spline is'assembled in place, its central longitudinal portion is, disposed within the slot lll, the -recess Qllengages that part of the nut 3| between the recesses 3233 and the other margin is so disposed with respect to the plates that the recess 4| engages the recess 38 of the top plate 35 and the narrow bottom end of the spline engages in the recess 38 of the bottom plate 36 with the shoulder 42 engaging on the top surface of the plate 36 of the base.

By reason of the engagement of the recess 4! of said spline with the plate 35, it is apparent that said spline is secured against longitudinal displacement with respect to the plates 35-36. Also, by reason of the engagement of said spline, with the nut 3| asibefore mentioned,

said nut is fixed with respect'to. the base of the chair.

To adjust the vertical position of the post Hi,

the hand wheel or member 2-1 is turned in the desired direction. This threads the screw through the nut 3|. As the nut is fixed with respect to the spline, which inturn is fixed to the base of the chair through the plates 3536' and as the spline further acts to prevent turning of the post It, said post moves upwardly or downwardly, according to the direction in which the screw 26 is turned. Thus a construction isafiorded wherein the post cannot turn relatively to the base but it can be adjusted upwardly or downwardly with respect to the base and the seat is turnably mounted or swivelled on the post.

It is apparent that substantially all operating parts are within the post which presents a smooth rounded external surface for sliding engagement in the holes 3-l--3I of the plates -36. With such an arrangement, itis easier to keep the operating parts lubricated without the lubricant accumulating on the outside of the post to soil the stockings of the person occupying the seat. The parts involved are few in number and of a simple construction. Therefore, the cost of making said parts and assembling them is such that the chair may be produced at a relatively low cost. As the seat turns on the post, which does not turn in the base, the chair is' not so apt to squeak in use.

While in describing the invention I have referred in detail to the form, arrangement and construction of the parts thereof, this is to be considered only in the illustrative sense so that I do not wish to be limited thereto except as may be specifically set forth in the appended claims.-

I claim as my invention r 1. In a chair, the combination of atubular 35 chair seat supporting post having a longitudinal slot in one side thereof, a supporting base and means carried thereby and through which the post extends for a sliding guided longitudinal movement, a screw arranged in said, post, a member on said screw outside the bottom end of said post for turning said screw, means for preventing. relative endwise movement between said post and screw when the latter is turned by means of said member, a nut in said post and with which said screw has a threaded engagement, and means associated with said means carried by said supporting base and extending through said slot in the post for holding the nut against both a rotative and a longitudinal movement.

2. In a chair, the combination of a tubular chair seat supporting post having a longitudinal slot in one side thereof, a supporting base and means carried thereby and through which the post extends for a sliding guided longitudinal movement, a screw arranged in said post, a member on said screw outside the bottom end of said,

post for turning said screw, means for preventing relative endwise movement between said post and screw when the latter is turned by means of said member, a nut in said post and with which said screw has a threaded engagement, means associated with said means carried by said supporting base and extending through said slot in the post for holding the nut against both a rotative and longitudinal movement, and a chair seat rotatively mounted on the top end of said post.

3. In a chair, the combination of a tubular chair seat supporting post having a longitudinal slot in one side thereof, a supporting base and means carried thereby and through which the post extends for a sliding guided vertical movement, a screw arranged in said post, a member on said screw outside the bottom end of said post for turning the screw, said member on said screw including a part having a circumferential groove therein, means carried by said post and engaging in said groove and whereby said member and screw may be turned in said post but are held against longitudinal movement therein, and means associated with said means carried by said supporting base and extending through said slot in the post for holding the nut against both a rotative and a longitudinal movement.

4. In a chair, the combination of a tubular chair seat supporting post having a longitudinal slot in one side thereof, a supporting base and means carried thereby and through which the post extends for a sliding guided longitudinal movement, a; screw arranged in said post, a memher on said screw outside the bottom end of said post for turning said screw, means for preventing relative endwise movement between said post and screw when the latter is turned by means of said member, a nut in said post and with which said screw has a threaded engagement, said nut having recesses in its opposite ends, and means associated with said means carried by said supporting base and extending through said slot to engage in said recesses in said nut for holding said nut againstboth a rotative and a longitudinal movement.

5. In a chair, the combination of a tubular seatsupporting post having a longitudinal slot in one side thereof, a supporting base including legs and top and bottom plates connecting the top end of said legs together and through which plates said post extends for sliding guided longitudinal movement, a screw arranged in said post, a member on said screw outside the bottom end of the post for turning said screw, means preventing relative endwise movement between said post and screw when the latter is turned by said member,

a nut in said post and with which the screw has a threaded engagement, a spline extending through said slot and having one edge portion formed to have an interengaging connection with one of said plates and having its other edge portion engaged with said nut in a manner holding the nut against both a rotative and a longitudinal movement.

6. In a chair, the combination of a tubular seat supporting post having a longitudinal slot in one side thereof, a supporting base including legs and top and bottom plates connecting the top ends of said legs together and through which plates said post extends for sliding guided longitudinal movement, a screw arranged in said post, a member on said screw outside the bottom end of the post for turning said screw, means preventing relative endwise movement between said post and screw when the latter is turned by said member, a nut in said post and with which the screw has a threaded engagement and which nut has top and bottom end recesses therein, a spline extending through said slot and having an edge portion formed to have an interengaging connection with one'of said plates and having its other edge portion formed to engage in said top and bottom end recesses of the nut so as to hold the nut against a turning movement and against a longitudinal movement.

7. In a chair, the combination of a tubular chair seat supporting post having a longitudinal slot in one side thereof, a supporting base including legs and means carried by said legs and through which the post extends for a sliding guided longitudinal movement, a screw arranged in said post, a member fixed to the bottom end of the screw for turning the same, said member including a portion journalled in the bottom end of the tube and having a circumferential groove therein, means carried by the post end engaging in said groove of said portion for holding the same against longitudinal movement with respect to the post but permitting a turning movement of said screw, a nut in said post and with which the screw has a threaded engagement, and a member fixed to said means carried by said legs and having a portion extending through the slot in post and engaging the nut in a manner holding the same against both a turning and an endwiso movement.

ARTHUR E. JONES. 

